Pacquiao backs martial law

SEN. Manny Pacquiao gave staunch support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration on Monday, saying the country should be “grateful” for its strong leader.

Duterte last week declared martial law in the southern Mindanao region to combat what he called a rising threat posed by the Islamic State group, after militants rampaged through a city triggering deadly battles.

Activists, opposition lawmakers, and even some of Duterte’s allies criticized the decision, warning it could lead to rights violations and widen abuses amid his ongoing deadly drug war.

But Pacquiao, a high-profile supporter of Duterte and an elected senator, heaped praise on the President.

“We need to be grateful because we have a firm, strong president who is fighting these problems,” he told reporters.

“From my heart, I support the declaration of the President.”

Pacquiao, 38, has also expressed support for Duterte’s war on drugs that has left thousands of people dead and which has drawn international condemnation and rights groups’ warnings of crimes against humanity.

Human Rights Watch warned last week that Duterte’s martial law “threatens military abuses in Mindanao that could rival the murderous ‘drug war’ in urban areas”.

On Sunday, Duterte said he will ignore the Supreme Court and congress as he enforces martial law, even though the constitution gives them oversight.

He had also told soldiers that they could arrest people without warrants and joked that they could rape up to three women, drawing global outrage.